11 Afghan security force members killed in attacks across country as 3 NATO troops wounded

7/13/2014

KABUL, Afghanistan — Insurgent attacks across Afghanistan have killed 11 Afghan security force members, authorities said Sunday, as a suicide car bomb attack wounded three NATO troops.

The deadliest attacks happened overnight in Afghanistan’s eastern Laghman province, when insurgents raided Afghan police and army checkpoints in Aliangar district, said Sarhadi Zwak spokesman for the provincial governor. Zwak said the dead from the assault included six police officers and one soldier, while security forces killed 15 insurgents.

In the western province of Herat, insurgents attacked a police checkpoint early Sunday morning, killing one police officer, said Raouf Ahmadi, a spokesman for the provincial police chief. He said officers killed four insurgents in the assault in Shindand district.

An attack late Friday on another checkpoint in the district killed three police officers, he said.

Meanwhile in eastern Nangarhar province, authorities say a suicide car bomber wounded three NATO troops in an attack Saturday night in the province’s Behsud district. NATO said the attacker was killed and there were no other fatalities.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.

The violence comes during the Taliban’s annual spring offensive. They are trying to undermine the Western-backed government as foreign combat troops prepare to withdraw by the end of the year.